Dr. Richard Temperley is a researcher at Newcastle University specializing in mitochondrial genetics and androgen receptor signaling. His work primarily focuses on gene expression regulation, transcription dynamics, and RNA stability in human mitochondria, with applications in prostate cancer research and molecular biology. He has collaborated extensively with scientists such as Professor Robert Lightowlers and Professor Zofia Chrzanowska-Lightowlers. Mitochondrial RNA stability and decay pathways Androgen receptor-mediated transcription mechanisms Prostate cancer molecular biology Translation regulation and ribosome function
Rohan Balakrishnan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of North Texas (UNT), joining the department in Fall 2024. He is affiliated with the BioDiscovery Institute as of December 2024. Dr. Balakrishnan's research focuses on microbial physiology and the quantitative relationships between cellular components. His work examines how DNA, mRNA, ribosomes, and proteins interact to govern cell growth, survival, and environmental responses. Key research areas include transcription-translation fluxes, protein homeostasis during starvation, resource allocation strategies, and ppGpp signaling kinetics. His recent publications reveal trends in bacterial gene regulation, proteome allocation, and growth laws, with significant contributions appearing in high-impact journals like Science, Nature Microbiology, and PNAS. His research bridges molecular biology, systems biology, and quantitative approaches to understand fundamental cellular processes in bacteria. Dr. Balakrishnan received his PhD in Biochemistry from Ohio State University, where he studied ribosome-associated factors in translation. He completed postdoctoral work at UC San Diego focusing on the quantitative relationship between mRNA and protein in bacteria. Principles of gene regulation quantitatively connect DNA to RNA and proteins in bacteria (Science, 2022) Inheritance of secreted enzymes enables sustained growth of marine bacteria (Nature Microbiology, 2023) Conditionally unutilized proteins and their effects on microbial growth (Current Opinion in Microbiology, 2023) His laboratory, opened in August 2024, focuses on harnessing microbial biosynthetic capacity and understanding the physiology of microbes. Dr. Balakrishnan advises graduate students through the Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UNT.
Dr. Michael Janitz is a Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences. With over 25 years of research experience, he has established himself as an internationally recognized expert in transcriptomics and next-generation sequencing technologies. His work bridges computational biology with experimental approaches to understand complex neurological disorders and cancer mechanisms. Dr. Janitz holds a PhD from Freie Universität Berlin, a DSc from the University of Leipzig, and a Graduate Certificate in University Learning and Teaching (GCULT) from UNSW Sydney. His educational background laid the foundation for his interdisciplinary research approach combining molecular biology, bioinformatics, and neuroscience. His research primarily focuses on transcriptome analysis using advanced sequencing technologies. Key areas include investigating gene expression and alternative splicing patterns in healthy human brain structures and cell types, and how these are perturbed in neurological disorders such as multiple system atrophy, epilepsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and chronic fatigue syndrome. He also explores cancer-specific transcriptome alterations, particularly circular and non-protein coding RNAs as potential biomarkers for diseases like endometrial cancer. His laboratory employs a combination of Illumina and nanopore DNA/RNA sequencing with custom bioinformatics pipelines. Analysis of Dr. Janitz's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on circular RNA biology across multiple disease contexts. His work demonstrates how circRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks contribute to neurological disorders and cancer pathogenesis. The research shows increasing integration of machine learning approaches with long-read sequencing technologies to enhance isoform discovery and transcriptome characterization. Member of Editorial Board, Genomics (since 2020) Member of Editorial Board, Non-coding RNA (since 2020) Guest Editor, Special Issue Neuroscience Letters (2020) Guest Scientist at Paul Flechsig Institute for Brain Research (since 2017) NSW Brain Banks Scientific Review Committee member (since 2017) Member of Editorial Board, Gene (since 2014) Dr. Janitz actively mentors numerous graduate students and early-career researchers. His laboratory currently includes nine members comprising PhD candidates, honors students, and talented program students working on diverse projects related to transcriptome analysis in neurological disorders and cancer. His research has been supported through various institutional and collaborative funding mechanisms, though specific grant details are not provided in the source material. The laboratory maintains active collaborations with multiple international research groups focused on neurodegenerative diseases and cancer genomics. His research team operates a specialized laboratory focused on advanced transcriptome analysis, with expertise in both wet-lab sequencing techniques and computational bioinformatics. The group has developed unique analytical pipelines combining in-house and publicly available tools to investigate non-protein coding transcriptomes, circular RNAs, and RNA modifications in both human and mouse models. Current projects particularly emphasize understanding circRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks in epilepsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and gynecological malignancies, as well as exploring RNA post-transcriptional modifications using nanopore direct RNA sequencing.
Tom Evans is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cell & Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, focusing on stem cell development and RNA/protein complexes in Caenorhabditis elegans . His research explores cytoplasmic mRNA regulation during oogenesis and embryogenesis, with applications to human diseases. Education: Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin (1988) Graduate Affiliations: Biomedical Sciences Program, Cell Biology, Stem Cells, and Development, Molecular Biology, Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) Evans' work investigates how mRNP complexes control germ cell differentiation and stem cell development in C. elegans , revealing conserved mechanisms in human biology and disease. His lab aims to understand mRNP regulation in living cells, protein translation patterns, and identify novel mediators. His research spans molecular biology, developmental genetics, and RNA regulation, with key contributions to maternal mRNA control, PUF proteins, and Sm protein functions. Recent articles highlight DNA repair, protein splicing, and diagnostic techniques like isothermal amplification. Evans collaborates on publications covering topics from nucleic acid detection to enzymology, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach. His lab employs advanced methods including high-resolution microscopy, mass spectrometry, and microarray technology to study dynamic mRNP behavior.
James Patton, Ph.D., is a Stevenson Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt University. He serves as Director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program and the Honors Program within the same department. His research focuses on the regulatory roles of noncoding RNAs, particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), in vertebrate development and disease. Dr. Patton's work explores miRNA function in post-transcriptional gene regulation through imperfect mRNA binding caudal fin and retina regeneration in zebrafish extracellular RNA communication via vesicles in cancer models Current projects investigate miRNA dynamics in mutant KRAS colorectal cancer cell interactions developmental processes like jaw and fin formation in embryos using advanced imaging and genomic analysis tools.
Robin Andersson is an Associate Professor at the Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen , leading the Andersson Lab focused on modeling gene regulation to understand how enhancer and promoter dysregulation contribute to disease risk. His interdisciplinary research combines machine learning , statistical learning , genetics , and molecular biology to determine which noncoding sequences act as enhancers, predict regulatory activity from DNA sequences, and characterize mechanisms controlling gene expression variation. His research has produced significant insights into enhancer-promoter interactions , epigenetic inheritance , and transcriptional robustness . He has developed computational tools like ChromTransfer and hyperTRIBER for analyzing chromatin accessibility and RNA editing . His work bridges genomic mechanisms of disease with practical applications in noncoding variant interpretation and therapeutic target identification . Robin Andersson has received prestigious awards including the ERC Horizon 2020 Starting Grant , Sapere Aude Research Leader award , and Hallas-Møller Ascending Investigator award . He has supervised 17 MSc and 5 PhD students while contributing to academic service as PhD coordinator and strategic research board member. The lab maintains affiliations with the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Genomic Mechanisms of Disease and FANTOM consortium , with recent grants focusing on single-cell regulatory mapping and disease variant interpretation .
Qi Zhou is a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Purdue University. His research focuses on quantum gases, synthetic gauge fields, ultracold atoms, and quantum many-body dynamics. Key contributions include exploring breather dynamics in Bose-Einstein condensates, connections between geometry and quantum dynamics, and bosonization of SU(N) fermions. His work bridges theoretical physics with experimental applications, such as synthetic Hall tori and quantum control via SU(1,1) echoes. Research highlights include universal relations in chemical reactions of dilute molecules (Science Advances, 2020), geometric frameworks for quantum systems (PRL, 2020), and bosonization phenomena in 3D fermions (PRX, 2020). His group also investigates discrete time crystals and precision measurements (PRR, 2020). Recent efforts explore synthetic gauge fields in alkali atoms and universal thermodynamic relations in dilute systems. While his primary affiliation is in theoretical physics, his Google Scholar publications reveal a parallel focus on pharmaceutical sciences, particularly inhalable drug formulations and antimicrobial therapies. This includes aerosolized bacteriophage delivery systems, combination antibiotic formulations, and mechanistic studies of polymyxin toxicity in human epithelial cells.
Dr. Daniel Mediati is a Chancellor's Research Fellow and Lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), leading the Molecular Systems Biology Lab within the Australian Institute for Microbiology and Infection. He holds adjunct roles at UNSW Sydney. His research focuses on bacterial interactions with hosts and environments to uncover mechanisms for therapeutic and biotechnological applications, with a particular emphasis on antimicrobial resistance and RNA regulatory networks. He has received prestigious awards including the 2024 ASM Jim Pittard Early Career Award and the 2023 EMBL Corporate Partnerships Award. Mediati holds a BSc (Hons I) in Biotechnology and a PhD in Molecular Microbiology from UTS, alongside a GradCert in Higher Education. His work has been highlighted in Forbes Magazine (2022) and featured in news releases from the Australian Academy of Sciences and ABC Radio (2023). He currently coordinates the 91132-Molecular Biology subject in UTS's School of Life Sciences and actively seeks motivated Honours and PhD students. He serves on the editorial boards of Access Microbiology and eLife , and as a communications ambassador for the Australian Society for Microbiology (NSW-ACT chapter). His funded research includes a UTS fellowship (2024–2028) and an NHMRC Ideas grant (2024–2026) with UNSW's Prof. Jai Tree. Key research outputs include studies on silver nanoparticle resistance in pathogens, genetic requirements for E. coli proliferation in urinary tract infections, and sRNA regulatory networks in Staphylococcus aureus. His work bridges microbiology and RNA technologies, with implications for combating antibiotic resistance and developing novel therapies.
Zhengrong Cui, Ph.D. is a Professor of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery at The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy. He holds the prestigious Alfred and Dorothy Mannino Fellowship in Pharmacy and leads The Cui Lab, which focuses on innovative pharmaceutical research aimed at improving drug delivery systems and cancer treatments. His work bridges fundamental science with practical applications for therapeutic development. Dr. Cui earned his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics from the University of Kentucky in 2002, followed by postdoctoral training in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh in 2004. This strong academic foundation has supported his career in advancing pharmaceutical technology and drug delivery systems. His primary research interests center on pharmaceutical formulation development , drug delivery systems , and tumor experimental therapy . The Cui Lab pursues two major research directions: engineering dry powders of biologics and nucleic acid-based products using thin-film freeze-drying technology, and synthesizing novel antitumor compounds. His work on dry powder formulations addresses critical challenges in biologics stability and delivery, while his cancer research focuses on compounds like DHA-dFdC that induce immunogenic cell death, potentially enhancing cancer immunotherapy. Analysis of Dr. Cui's recent publications reveals a strong focus on advanced drug delivery technologies, particularly thin-film freeze-drying applications for vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and nucleic acid therapeutics. His research spans multiple subfields including pulmonary delivery, vaccine stabilization, and novel anticancer agents, demonstrating both depth in pharmaceutical technology and breadth across therapeutic applications. The consistent publication record from 2002 through 2024 indicates sustained scholarly productivity. Among his notable recognitions is the Alfred and Dorothy Mannino Fellowship in Pharmacy, which supports his innovative research in pharmaceutical sciences. Dr. Cui's laboratory, The Cui Lab, maintains an active research program focused on developing next-generation pharmaceutical formulations and delivery systems. His work has significant implications for improving the stability, delivery, and efficacy of various therapeutic agents, particularly biologics and cancer treatments. The research group appears to collaborate extensively with other scientists in the pharmaceutical and medical fields, as evidenced by the co-authorship patterns in his publications.
Juan Guan serves as an Assistant Professor of Chemical Biology & Medicinal Chemistry at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research program bridges physics and biology, utilizing advanced imaging techniques to address critical questions in cancer biology and nanomedicine. With a strong background in quantitative methods, she leads an interdisciplinary team dedicated to uncovering the physical principles underlying cellular processes. Education Background: Doctoral studies completed at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Postdoctoral fellowship in Pharmaceutical Chemistry at University of California San Francisco Previously held an Assistant Professor position at the University of Florida Dr. Guan's research focuses on the biophysics of complex biological systems. Her laboratory combines high-throughput quantitative imaging, CRISPR-based genome editing, and computational analysis to investigate: Phase Separation in Cancer: How biomolecular condensates regulate oncogenic signaling pathways. Single-Cell Dynamics: Heterogeneous cellular responses to environmental stressors using live-cell imaging. Advanced Drug Delivery: Designing and testing nanoparticle formulations for targeted therapeutic applications. As a principal investigator, Dr. Guan mentors a diverse group of trainees including postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and undergraduates. Her collaborative work with neurosurgery researchers at the University of Florida explores mRNA-nanoparticle interactions with cells. The Guan Lab provides cutting-edge instrumentation and fosters a collaborative environment to drive innovation in biophysical research.
Dr. Eva Absmeier is a Group Leader at the Freie Universität Berlin within the Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy , leading the mRNA Translation and Turnover Group . Her research focuses on post-transcriptional gene regulation mechanisms, particularly the interplay between mRNA translation, decay, and RNA-binding proteins (RBE3L and RNA helicases). She employs advanced structural biology techniques including cryogenic electron microscopy, macromolecular crystallography, and AlphaFold predictions to investigate these processes. Laboratory Activities: Recombinant protein production, in vitro translation assays, and crosslinking mass spectrometry. Lab Members: Includes PhD candidates Chengxi Pan and Marina Serra Canales, and lab rotation student Sarah Plößner. Her group explores how RNA structures and interactomes influence translation efficiency and mRNA stability, with recent work involving clathrin inhibitor development (Pitstop 2c/2d) for studying endocytic pathways. Open positions are available for motivated students and researchers.
Ralf Bundschuh is a Professor and Department Chair at the Ohio State University's Department of Physics. His research focuses on Condensed Matter Theory and Biophysics , particularly exploring the intersection of nanotechnology with biological systems such as chromatin compaction and ribosome assembly. He holds a Diploma from the University of Cologne (1993) and a PhD from the University of Potsdam and the Max-Planck Institute for Colloid and Interface Science (1996). His recent work includes developing DNA origami-based force sensors to study biomolecular mechanics and investigating mRNA regulation mechanisms in bacteria and cancer cells. He leads a lab group advancing interdisciplinary research in biophysics, nanotechnology, and translational medicine. Key research themes include: Epigenetic regulation via chromatin structure manipulation Ribosomal RNA processing in prokaryotes RNA-protein interaction modeling (RBPBind, RBPamp tools) Epigenetic dysregulation in chronic diseases His lab's innovative approaches combine computational modeling with experimental techniques like force spectroscopy and CRISPR-based epigenetic analysis. Ongoing projects address clinical applications in leukemia treatment and chronic wound healing.
Luiz Passalacqua is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science at the University of Florida. He leads the Passalacqua Lab (Laboratory of Nucleic Acids) , focusing on structural and functional studies of nucleic acids. His research integrates bioinformatics, biochemistry, and structural biology to understand non-coding RNA functions, RNA thermometers, and DNA/RNA aptamers. Key areas include host-pathogen interactions, genome stability, and astrobiology-driven nucleic acid evolution. Education & Career: Ph.D. in Biochemistry from UC Irvine (2017), Postdoc at NIH (2020-2023), joined UF in August 2024. Lab location: Microbiology Building 981, Room 1147. Research Highlights: Pioneered Robo-Therm pipeline for RNA thermometer discovery, developed novel RNA aptamers with ultra-bright fluorophores, and characterized riboswitches in bacterial gene regulation. Current projects include astrobiology applications of nucleic acids and R-loop impact on genome stability. Lab Values: Emphasizes inclusive mentorship, scientific rigor, and community-building. Accepts graduate students from Microbiology & Cell Science and Genetics & Genomics programs. Grants: Active funding for RNA thermometer studies and synthetic biology tools. Awards: Featured Nature paper (2023) highlighted in 21 media outlets and F1000 recommended. Contact: Email lmoreirapassalac@ufl.edu for collaborations or joining the lab.
Mark Bathe is a Professor of Biological Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he leads the Bathe BioNano Lab within the Department of Biological Engineering in the School of Engineering. He is also a member of the Harvard Medical School (HMS) Initiative for RNA Medicine and an associate member of the Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard, reflecting his interdisciplinary impact across engineering, medicine, and genomics. Professor Bathe earned his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees from MIT across Mechanical, Chemical, and Biological Engineering departments, followed by postdoctoral research at the University of Munich. He returned to MIT in 2009 to establish his research program focused on nucleic acid nanotechnology. His research centers on nucleic acid nanotechnology to engineer programmable DNA and RNA materials at the nanometer-scale (10,000x smaller than a human hair). Key interests include biological imaging , biomechanics , biomolecular engineering , biophysics , and computational modeling for applications in therapeutic delivery, vaccines, molecular data storage, and quantum computing. His lab uniquely combines principles of structural DNA nanotechnology with functional biomolecular design to create custom nanoscale architectures with precise control over 2D/3D structure and chemical composition. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2024-2025) reveals three dominant trends: (1) AI-driven characterization of DNA nanostructures using convolutional neural networks, (2) development of DNA origami platforms for vaccine design and immune stimulation, and (3) engineering nucleic acid systems for molecular data storage and quantum sensing. These works consistently bridge computational design, nanofabrication, and biological validation across neuroscience, virology, and photonics domains. Professor Bathe runs an active interdisciplinary research group mentoring students in the Bathe BioNano Lab. His team develops both computational design frameworks (e.g., ATHENA for DNA origami) and experimental protocols for high-scale fabrication of nucleic acid materials. Current projects include targeted delivery of CRISPR therapeutics, phenotypic profiling of neuronal circuits in psychiatric disease, and quantum computing applications using DNA-scaffolded chromophores. The lab operates within MIT’s state-of-the-art facilities, collaborating with the Broad Institute for genomic applications and HMS for translational medicine. Ongoing work focuses on overcoming clinical translation barriers for nucleic acid nanotechnology through scalable manufacturing techniques and rigorous in vivo validation, with commercial applications in vaccines, data storage, and quantum information processing.
Richard Braatz is the Edwin R. Gilliland Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), part of the School of Engineering. His research focuses on control systems design, multi-scale simulation, and advanced manufacturing systems, particularly in biopharmaceuticals and energy storage. He has made significant contributions to battery technology, mRNA production, and process optimization. Education includes a Ph.D. from Caltech (1993), M.S. from Caltech (1991), and B.S. from Oregon State University (1988). He has authored over 300 publications and holds numerous honors, including membership in the National Academy of Engineering and multiple industry awards for innovation and education. Research interests span control systems, data analytics, and machine learning applied to chemical and biological manufacturing. His lab develops models for viral vector production, battery degradation, and continuous pharmaceutical processes. Collaborations include work on mRNA lipid nanoparticle formulations and fast-charging protocols for lithium-ion batteries.
